Sabi Omakase Oslo

The story

Sabi Omakase Oslo: Michelin-Starred Japanese Omakase in Oslo

The Experience

Sabi Omakase Oslo is an intimate ten-seat counter where chef and guest share the same countertop. The room is modern Japanese in design, with seasonal plants arranged daily to highlight the natural imperfections of each bloom. The atmosphere is focused and quiet—the kind of place where you come for the precision of the cooking, not for chatter.

The omakase course moves through a series of otsumami appetizers, sashimi, and nigiri sushi. Ingredients are sourced mainly from the Nordic region, used only at their peak. Every dish is built around the pure, natural essence of each component. The restaurant earned a Michelin star within a year of opening, a recognition that speaks to the clarity and consistency of the cooking.

The Chef

Executive Chef and General Manager Airis Zapašnikas began his career in sushi as a teenager in his native Lithuania. After briefly studying medicine, he moved to Norway and trained with leading sushi chefs Roger A. Joya and Vladimir Pak. He earned accreditation from the All Japan Sushi Association and later passed the Certified Sake Sommelier examination. In 2025, he was crowned World Sushi Cup Champion in Tokyo—an international title that underscores his precision and creativity.

Chef Airis follows the 200-year-old Edomae Tokyo sushi tradition. The menu changes with the seasons, and the kitchen works with local fish, seafood, and occasionally meat. The entire meal is designed to be a single, seamless experience—no choices, just the chef’s best interpretation of what is fresh.

The Pairings

Head Sommelier Maizo Kwan curates the beverage program. She holds certifications from the Norsk Sommelier Utdannelse and the Sake Sommelier Association, and she brings deep knowledge of Japanese sake and wine. Guests can choose a sake pairing, a wine pairing that includes Krug Grande Cuvée, a combined wine and sake pairing, or a non-alcoholic option. The sommelier tailors each selection to the food and to individual preferences.

The restaurant also keeps an extensive selection of sake, champagne, wine, beer, whiskey, cocktails, and teas. For those who prefer to choose their own, the list is deep and well-curated.

Practical Notes

Dinner takes approximately three and a half hours. There are two seatings per evening, Wednesday through Saturday. The dress code is smart casual. Because seafood, shellfish, and soy are central to every dish, the kitchen cannot accommodate gluten-free, vegetarian, or non-seafood requests.

Sabi Omakase Oslo is a rare example of Nordic ingredients meeting Japanese technique at the highest level. The Michelin star and the chef’s world championship title are simply external validations of what happens at the counter every night.